What has become of the Church? I know that to some this post is
going to sound negative and judgmental, but please hear me out. I am
terribly heart sick about the way the American church communicates the
Gospel. The Gospel is about Jesus, the Glory of God, not the majesty
and wonder of man. (Psalm 8:4: What is man that you are mindful of
him?) Yet, if you visit the American church, especially the ones
labeled successful and large, you will walk away with the feeling that
man is wonderful and exists as the purpose of God. This is wrong and
heretical.
Yes, God loves man and man has significant
worth, but it is not infinite or inherent worth. Man only has value
because God has chosen to allow a reflection on His image to reside in
man (Gen. 1:27). Without God’s intentional will granting him worth and
purpose, man is but dust and ashes. Man is not praise worthy, God is.
Beyond
this fact, there is still the chosen disposition of man. God chooses
to bless man with magnificent universal worth, and man responds with
rebellion and consequential depravity. Every person voluntarily sins
against the Holy, Righteous God. The price for this treason is not only
spiritual and physical death, but shame, guilt and a marred
conscience. Man sucks. Even when we come to know God through Christ,
there is still a tendency and desire to rebel and manipulate His works
as our own. There is no ground whatsoever for man to be praised or
highly regarded as a direct object of worship in our churches or
theology. All glory belongs to God who alone is infinitely and inherent
good and worthy. Yet, when you visit the American church all you hear
and see is the praise of man, with God as his servant.
Yes,
God loves you and wants you to have a better life; but this is not to
come with an attitude of entitlement or superiority. The kindness of
God is to lead us to humility and His praise. Yes, Jesus wants to make
you better, healthier and happier, but according to His will and plan,
not yours. The wonder of the Gospel is God’s mercy and sacrifice for a
sick, depraved and evil creature (a.k.a. man) that has been given
EVERYTHING freely. The Gospel is: You suck, God rocks.
Why,
why, why do we kowtow to the sinful psyche of Humanism and promote
man-centered and glorifying churches? Why isn’t the Gospel enough? Why
do we, as redeemed and regenerated beings, allow the sinful ways and
desires of our former lives to not only manipulate the Gospel, but also
celebrate the twisted and corrupted views of others? Why isn’t God’s
glory and grace enough? Why do we have to promote man over or beside
God?
I would argue that the need for such is worldly
acceptance (Rom. 1:24-25). The American church is not satisfied with
the applause and glory of God, but still longs for the acceptance of his
society. Christians and their leaders know that the world will not
stand for worshipping God unless they, too, get something out of it.
So, we cut corners, twist the truth, or downplay the parts that might
offend. We feed man’s sin. (And then we wonder why the American church
is so lazy, uncompassionate and ineffective…)
I don’t
want a big church if it isn’t centered on God’s Gospel. I don’t want to
pastor people who understand God as a gentle grandfather who overlooks
sin and wrong behavior so as to spoil them. I want a God who loving
calls out my depravity, satisfies His wrath against me through His son,
and then grants me new life and a fresh start through His indwelling
Spirit. I want a Gospel that promotes only what is GOOD. The American
version of the Gospel is not “Good News,” it’s sick. It promotes
wickedness and vanity. This is horrible news!
Oh, God,
do not allow me a spirit of bitterness and conceited judgment, but do
grant me zeal for Your Name. I know that I have no business judging
those outside of the church, that is for you alone to do on the Final
Day, but God grant me influence to lead Your people, if only a Holy
Remnant (Rom. 11:5), back to You. Father, may Your Gospel and Your
glory always be enough for me.
